1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a status display unit using icons for expressing changes of a variety of apparatuses among a plurality of statuses by using real-time change in the colors and shapes of icons and/or indicating relationship by using connection lines (hereinafter sometimes called xe2x80x9clink linesxe2x80x9d) between icons and a method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method using icons for operating application software has widely been used. For example, a method relating to display of icons has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-227646. FIGS. 9A to 9G show examples of icons for use in the foregoing conventional structure. The foregoing conventional structure is able to express the states of a plurality of parameters by using change in the color, the expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes or the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols. The disclosed structure is applied to a car navigation system. In this case, a positioning operation is performed which is a combination of the GPS navigation system for receiving an electric wave emitted from a satellite to measure the position of the vehicle and an autonomous navigation system for measuring the position of the vehicle. Then, the statuses of the positioning means based on the GPS navigation system and the positioning means based on the autonomous navigation system are classified into seven statuses below:
(1) two means are normal and the two means are being operated (status 1);
(2) two means are normal and only the positioning means based on the GPS navigation system is being operated (status 2);
(3) two means are normal and only the positioning means based on the autonomous navigation system is being operated (status 3);
(4) two means are normal and the two means are not being operated (status 4);
(5) the positioning means based on the autonomous navigation system is abnormal and only the positioning means based on the GPS navigation system is being operated (status 5);
(6) the positioning means based on the GPS navigation system is abnormal and only the positioning means based on the autonomous navigation system is being operated (status 6); and
(7) the two means are abnormal and the two means are not being operated (status 7).
Therefore, the state of the operation and whether or not each means is abnormal can easily be recognized by the user by observing the displayed screen shown in FIGS. 9A to 9G. The display is performed by using change in the color of the mark of the vehicle, the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes and the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols (for example, a frame enclosed by a circle).
The conventional display of the status using the icon has been performed as described above. The conventional example simply relates to the method of expression of the icon. Therefore, a range which can be expressed is limited and thus there arises a problem in that a complicated state of the operation cannot easily be expressed.
There arises another problem in that the hierarchical relationship such as the parenthood and change in the status of the relationship among units belonging to a group having a given meaning of the relationship cannot be expressed.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which enables a user to easily recognize real-time change in the status by using change in the shape and the color of a plurality of icons, presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols and change in the expression of the relationship among the icons and a method therefor.
A status display unit using icons according to a first aspect of the present invention is a status display unit using icons for displaying the status of a subject to be displayed by using icons or link lines each of which connects icons to each other, the status display unit using icons comprising: icon display means for displaying the icons; link line display means for displaying the link lines; status display means for changing display of a plurality of icons or link lines in accordance with the contents of the subject to be displayed so as to display the changed icons or link lines, wherein expression forms of the plural icons are changed to display the status.
A status display unit using icons according to a second aspect of the present invention is a status display unit using icons for use in a network supervisory apparatus, comprising: abnormal-state detecting means for detecting an abnormal state of the network; abnormal-position determining means for determining an abnormal position; icon display means for displaying icons; link-line displaying means for displaying link lines indicating the connection between icons; and abnormal-state displaying means for changing and displaying display of the icons or the link lines in accordance with the contents of the status of the network, wherein expression forms of the plural icons are changed to display the status.
A status display unit using icons according to a third aspect of the present invention has a structure that the expression forms of the plural icons are changed by changing the colors of the icons.
A status display unit using icons according to a fourth aspect of the present invention has a structure that the expression forms of the plural icons are changed by changing the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes.
A status display unit using icons according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has a structure that the expression forms of the plural icons are changed by changing the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols.
A status display unit using icons according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is a status display unit using icons for displaying the status of a subject be displayed by using icons or link lines each of which connects icons to each other, the status display unit using icons comprising: icon display means for displaying the icons; link line display means for displaying the link lines; status display means for changing display of a plurality of icons or link lines in accordance with the contents of the subject to be displayed so as to display the changed icons or link lines, wherein expression forms of the link line are changed to display the status.
A status display unit using icons according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a status display unit using icons for use in a network supervisory apparatus, comprising: abnormal-state detecting means for detecting an abnormal state of the network; abnormal-position determining means for determining an abnormal position; icon display means for displaying icons; link-line displaying means for displaying link lines indicating the connection between icons; and abnormal-state displaying means for changing and displaying display of the icons or the link lines in accordance with the contents of the status of the network, wherein expression forms of the link line are changed to display the status.
A status display unit using icons according to an eighth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the link lines for connecting the icons to each other are changed by changing the colors of the link lines.
A status display unit using icons according to a ninth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the link lines for connecting the icons to each other are changed by changing the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes.
A status display unit using icons according to a tenth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the link lines for connecting the icons to each other are changed by changing the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols.
A status display unit using icons according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is a status display unit using icons for displaying the status of a subject to be displayed by using icons or link lines each of which connects icons to each other, the status display unit using icons comprising: icon display means for displaying the icons; link line display means for displaying the link lines; status display means for changing display of a plurality of icons or link lines in accordance with the contents of the subject to be displayed so as to display the changed icons or link lines, wherein expression forms of the plural icons and link lines are changed to display the status.
A status display unit using icons according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is a status display unit using icons for use in a network supervisory apparatus, comprising: abnormal-state detecting means for detecting an abnormal state of the network; abnormal-position determining means for determining an abnormal position; icon display means for displaying icons; link-line displaying means for displaying link lines indicating the connection between icons; and abnormal-state displaying means for changing and displaying display of the icons or the link lines in accordance with the contents of the status of the network, wherein expression forms of the plural icons and link lines are changed to display the status.
A status display unit using icons according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the plural icons and link lines between the icons are changed by changing the colors of the icons and link lines.
A status display unit using icons according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the plural icons and link lines between the icons are changed by changing the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes.
A status display unit using icons according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the plural icons and link lines between the icons are changed by changing the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols.
A status display method using icons according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is a status display method using icons such that the status of a subject to be displayed is displayed by using icons or link lines each of which connects icons to each other, the status display method comprising: an icon display step for displaying the icons; a link line display step for displaying the link lines; a status display step for changing display of a plurality of icons or link lines in accordance with the contents of the subject to be displayed so as to display the changed icons or link lines, wherein expression forms of the plural icons are changed to display the status.
A status display method using icons according to seventeenth aspect of the present invention is used in a network supervisory apparatus, comprising: an abnormal-state detecting step for detecting an abnormal state of the network; an abnormal-position determining step for determining an abnormal position; an icon display step for displaying icons; a link-line displaying step for displaying link lines indicating the connection between icons; and an abnormal-state displaying step for changing and displaying display of the icons or the link lines in accordance with the contents of the status of the network, wherein expression forms of the plural icons are changed to display the status.
A status display method using icons according to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention has a structure that the expression forms of the plural icons are changed by changing the colors of the icons.
A status display method using icons according to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention has a structure that the expression forms of the plural icons are changed by changing the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes.
A status display method using icons according to a twentieth aspect of the present invention has a structure that the expression forms of the plural icons are changed by changing the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention is a status display method using icons such that the status of a subject to be displayed is displayed by using icons or link lines each of which connects icons to each other, the status display method comprising: an icon display step for displaying the icons; a link line display step for displaying the link lines; a status display step for changing display of a plurality of icons or link lines in accordance with the contents of the subject to be displayed so as to display the changed icons or link lines, wherein expression forms of the link lines are changed to display the status.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention is a status display method using icons for use in a network supervisory apparatus, comprising: an abnormal-state detecting step for detecting an abnormal state of the network; an abnormal-position determining step for determining an abnormal position; an icon display step for displaying icons; a link-line displaying step for displaying link lines indicating the connection between icons; and an abnormal-state displaying step for changing and displaying display of the icons or the link lines in accordance with the contents of the status of the network, wherein expression forms of the link lines are changed to display the status.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the link lines for connecting the icons to each other are changed by changing the colors of the link lines.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the link lines for connecting the icons to each other are changed by changing the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the link lines for connecting the icons to each other are changed by changing the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention is a status display method using icons such that the status of a subject to be displayed is displayed by using icons or link lines each of which connects icons to each other, the status display method comprising: an icon display step for displaying the icons; a link line display step for displaying the link lines; a status display step for changing display of a plurality of icons or link lines in accordance with the contents of the subject to be displayed so as to display the changed icons or link lines, wherein expression forms of the plural icons and link lines are changed to display the status.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention is a status display method using icons for use in a network supervisory apparatus, comprising: an abnormal-state detecting step for detecting an abnormal state of the network; an abnormal-position determining step for determining an abnormal position; an icon display step for displaying icons; a link-line displaying step for displaying link lines indicating the connection between icons; and an abnormal-state displaying step for changing and displaying display of the icons or the link lines in accordance with the contents of the status of the network, wherein expression forms of the plural icons and link lines are changed to display the status.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the plural icons and link lines between the icons are changed by changing the colors of the icons and link lines.
A status display method using icons according to a twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the plural icons and link lines between the icons are changed by changing the number of expression dimensions of planes or three-dimensional shapes.
A status display method using icons according to a thirtieth aspect of the present invention has a structure that expression forms of the plural icons and link lines between the icons are changed by changing the presence or absence of peripheral decoration symbols.